TARRYOWN, N.Y. – The final phases of the I-287 reconstruction project have been completed, nine months ahead of schedule, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday.

Improvements at the last phase, Interchange 8 in White Plains, were finished in December and included constructing a new bridge and exit ramps to improve access to downtown White Plains and Harrison.

“The I-287 reconstruction project was a prime example for drivers in Westchester of the dysfunction in state government, but in the last two years we reformed the process, reduced the cost to taxpayers and finished the job ahead of schedule,” Cuomo said in a statement.

Contractors will finalize paving and striping, along with installing street lighs and wetlands mitigation, in early spring.

Work on the reconstruction project began 15 years ago. The project saw more than a decade of delays and $78 million in cost overruns. Cuomo ordered an independent review of the project in 2011, which sped up construction.

“This project began over a decade ago and resulted in tens of millions in cost overruns and years of delay – time and money that New York taxpayers could not afford to waste,” Cuomo said. “Last year, I ordered a full review of the project to get the job done. And as a result of the reforms we put into place, today, traffic is flowing smoothly on this new stretch of highway. State government is changing the way it does business, ensuring that New Yorkers get the work they paid for and the results they deserve.”

Comments (1)

Really? They're bragging about finishing ahead of schedule after 15 YEARS by 9 months. And naturally, we must give the anointed-one, pre-President Cuomo the credit. It's BULL! The project should have never gone this long, had the cost overages and as many changes as there were! Stop bragging about another failed NYS Thruway debacle! And now we're going to start all over again with the Honda Zee Bridge that we probably don't really need.